Christmas Songs and Films in Emojis (A2+)

Objective & content

A one-page Christmas puzzle for pairs, about 15 minutes. Each line of emojis is a Christmas film or a Christmas song: six films (from Elf and The Snowman to The Polar Express) and six songs (from Jingle Bells to All I Want for Christmas Is You). The twelve titles are printed in a box at the top. Pupils match each line of emojis to its title, then write it in: the first letter of each word is given, with one space for each missing letter. They read and spell well-known English titles and talk about the emojis in English.

Pedagogical guide

Pupils know most of these films and songs already, often in English, so the puzzle is easy to start and quick to finish. The talk in pairs is where the English happens: "It's a train, so it's The Polar Express.", "No, the snowman is number 3." The letter spaces help pupils check their choice and their spelling. A score line (out of 12) and a Christmas joke printed upside down close the page. The teacher key is the small line at the bottom: cover it when you photocopy if you prefer.

Suggested procedure

1. (2 min) Copy one line of emojis on the board, or show the page on screen, and solve it with the class.
2. (10 min) Pairs match the other lines to the titles and fill in the letters.
3. (3 min) Check together: a pair reads a title aloud, the class says yes or no. Pairs write their score, then turn the page upside down for the joke.

Adaptations

[S] Before they start, ask pairs to find the six films and the six songs in the title box.

[A] Pairs draw an emoji line for one more Christmas film or song, and the class guesses it.

Materials & prerequisites

One copy per pair, in colour or in black and white, and pencils. No vocabulary is needed before the lesson: the titles are in the box. If you have speakers, play a few seconds of each song during the check.